I promised I wouldn’t cry post about all the price increases, because there were just too many, and it is starting to sound like a broken record at this point… but some things are much bigger than a Price Hike List (which I put up on the left hand Navbar on Wednesday).  For example- the $1 slice of pizza, which is hands down, the cheapest Midtown Lunch there is.  Well, I’m sad to report that Z Deli on 8th Ave. btw. 48+40th has upped the cost of their slice from .99 to $1.49 (a 50% increase!!!), leaving 99 Cent Fresh Pizza (one location on 43th btw. Lex+3rd, and one out of bounds location behind Port Authority)  and the Prince Deli (on 3rd Ave. btw. 43+44th) as the only two remaining purveyors of the $1 slice of pie in Midtown.

The Z Deli slice was barely worth $1, I can’t even fathom anybody paying $1.50- but more importantly, what will 99 Cent Fresh Pizza do if the cost of flour, and cheese continues to rise.  Shut down, or change their name?  Either would be incredibly upsetting…

A few months ago I wrote about 99¢ Fresh Pizza opening a second location right by Grand Central.  That was shortly followed by the $1.25 pizza deal at Naples 45 (arguably the highest quality pizza at that low price)- but you have to wait until after 2pm.  For most people, time is more precious than money- so if you don’t work near either of those two places, it may not be worth the extra walking just to save a couple of bucks.

Well, I’m happy to say that the West side of Midtown now has their own $1 pizza deal (that is closer than the original 99¢ Fresh Pizza behind Port Authority).  And it’s an all day kind of thing.  As with anything, you get what you pay for- and Z Deli is no exception.  But if $1 pizza is what you are looking for, than here it is, right on 8th Ave. btw. 48+49th St.

Pics of the pie, and a +/- after the jump…

There’s no question that without $1 pizza I would never write about a place like this.  It’s just another crappy New York bodega, slightly distinguishing itself with Gyros, and of course the $1 pizza- which can be found all the way in the back.  Don’t make the mistake of waiting for the guy to acknowlege you- just walk to the back and shout out your order.

I made eye contact with the guy 2 or 3 times before he finally was like “If you want something just yell it out”.  I thought I’d be polite, and let him finish what he was doing (making a new pie), but clearly I was just supposed to shout out my order.  I had taken my wife with me to $1 pizza lunch (that’s the kind of classy guy I am), so we ordered 3 slices for the two of us.  My punishment for the ordering gaffe, 3 old slices- thrown back into the oven, but not long enough to make them seem fresh.

I probably would have never noticed the freshness thing, except for the fact that we decided to get one more slice.  By that time, I think the guy had noticed me taking pictures, so he “rewarded” me with a fresh slice.  Check out the difference:

The guy behind me in line seemed especially pissed when he was given an old slice (right after I got my fresh slice).  “Why can’t I get one of those?”, he comlained.  Start a blog buddy…

Anyway- either way the pizza was good enough to make the $1 price tag a total deal.  My wife liked it better than 99¢ Fresh pizza, and I liked it as much as any cheap pizza.  The key, of course- is geting the fresh slices.  Z Deli doesn’t have the turnover that 99 Cent Fresh Pizza has, so it’s going to be more of a crapshoot.  Don’t be shy, and ask for the fresh pie (it’s probably hidden under the counter).  If that doesn’t work, just order one slice, take some photos, and go back for a second.  It worked for me.

The +

• It’s pizza, for $1.00 a slice
• The deal is all the time (not a late day special)

The -

• You get what you pay for
• The turnover is not as high as 99¢ Fresh Pizza, so the pie is not always fresh out of the oven
• Service is kind of strange.  Don’t be polite… just yell out your order

Z Deli, 803 8th Ave., 212-315-1659